Mail and newspaper box flag



M. c. POINDEXTER MAIL AND NEWSPAPER BOX FLAG Jan. 20, 1970 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 12, 1969 y Les C. Po/naexfer Jari- 1970 I M.c. POINDEXTER 3,490,411

MAIL AND NEWSPAPER BOX FLAG Filed March 12, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR M Myles C. Po/hdexfer United States Patent Ofilice US. Cl.116132 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A flag or signaling device isprovided adapted to be clamped to a mail box or a newspaper box andhaving a signal member in the form of a resilient tape such as a portionof a tape rule which is adapted to stand erect in its normal position. Ahook means is provided so that the flag may be retained in folded overposition over the open end of the box. Placement of a newspaper or mailinto the box disengages the flag member from the hook and permits it torise to its normally erect position, thereby indicating the presence ofa newspaper or mail within the box to persons positioned at a distancefrom the box.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many types of signaling devices have beenprovided in the prior art for indicating to persons located at adistance that mail or a newspaper has been placed in a box located nearthe street or highway. Some of the prior art devices have provisionswhereby they are automatically actuated when the door of the box isopened. However, most of the devices are cumbersome and relativelyexpensive. In fact some of the devices must be incorporated in a boxassembly during its manufacture. Moreover, few ofthe prior artdevicesare suitable for use with newspaper boxes which generally are notprovided with doors, but which must be actuated by the entrance of thenewspaper itself into the box.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention toprovide a signaling device which may be readily attached to a ruraltypemail box or newspaper box, and which will automatically signal to anobserver located at a distance that mail or a newspaper has been placedin the box. It is a further object to provide a signal device of thetype described which is relatively inexpensive. It is Still a furtherobject to provide a signaling device of the type described which isadaptable both for newspaper boxes and for mail boxes having doors. Itis a further object-to provide a signaling device which is automaticallyactuated when mail or a newspaper is placed within the box. Theaccomplishment of the foregoing and additional objects will become morefully apparent hereinafter.

According to the invention, a flag device is provided for mounting on amail box or newspaper box in the form of an integral unit having a clampfor affixing the unit to the box, and a normally vertically extendingflag in the form of a strip or tape of a spring material such as steel.Hook means is also provided at the base of the rule adapted to engagedetent means provided on the side of the flag which becomes convexlyarcuate when it is bent over in front of the box. The flag is madesufiiciently long so that in bent over position it extends downwardlyover a substantial portion of the mouth of the box. When mail or anewspaper is placed in the box, it engages the lower portion of the flagand disengages it from the hook, whereupon the flag snaps to itsvertical position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the signal flag device of theinvention.

3,490,411 Patented Jan. 20, 1970 FIG. 2 is a side elevational view ofthe device taken from a position with respect to that of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken at the line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken at the line 44 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the device shown in FIGS. 1-4mounted on a mail box.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the device taken at the line 6-6 ofFIG. 7, and arranged in the position suitable for mounting at the openend of a newspaper box; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the device shown mounted on anewspaper box.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGS. l-4 theintegral signal flag assembly of the present invention is showncomprising a U clamp 1 having sufficient space between its side membersso that it may be placed either over the upper lip of a newspaper box orover the upper strap of a mail box latch assembly. A screw 2 ispositioned through a hole in the upper wall of the clamp and adjustablyretained therein. The screw may be a machine screw having threads whichare engaged in complementary screw threads provided in the wall of theclamp. Alternatively, the screw may be a sheet metal type screw engagedin a standard sheet metal self-engaging type nut. Other combinations mayalternatively be used. The screw extends through a supporting member 3in the form of a rubber cylinder or tube. A flag member 4 is afiixed atits lower end to the supporting member 3 by a piece of adhesive tape 5,01' by any other suitable means such as an adhesive. The flag member 4is formed of a length of spring steel strip having an arcuatecross-section to cause it to remain in normally extended self-supportingand straight position, as for example a piece of steel tape measureblade stock. The supporting member 3 is afiixed to the clamp 1 by meansof a screw. Maintained between the supporting member 3 and the uppersurface of the U-clamp 1 is a book 6. A hook engaging detent 7 isprovided on the convex side of the flag member 4 and comprises a smallrod in the form of a nail shank or short length of wire, affixed to theblade by means of tape 8 or other suitable means such as an adhesive.Alternatively a detent may be provided in the form of a small holethrough the blade or a small dimple or depression. The screw 2,supporting member 3, and clamp combination have a plural purpose. First,the combination provides mounting means for the flag member. Second,since the supporting member is flexible and compressible, the screw 2may be tightened beyond the point required to maintain the supportingmember and flag member in position so that it engages a support or baseof a strap of a mail box or the housing of a newspaper box and rigidlyclamps the assembly to that structure. The assembly is additionallyadjustable so that the flag member and hook may be arranged in diiferentpositions, dependent upon the nature of the structure to which theassembly is to be affixed.

FIG. 5 illustrates the present assembly afiixed to the spring strip 9 ofa traditional rural mail box. For this purpose the relationship of theflag member 4 to the book 6 is that shown in FIG. 4, in order that theflag member will swing over the front of the mail box while the openingof the U-clamp is at an angle of 90 thereto. Additionally it isdesirable to offset the position of the flag member 4, and hook 6, asshown in FIG. 4, so that the flag member clears the spring strip 9 whenit is folded down' into place and engaged by the hook. To place the flagmember assembly in operation, the mail box door is closed. The flagmember 4 is then bent downward over the closed door, with the point ofthe hook 6 engaging the detent 7. When the mail man subsequently opensthe door to insert mail, the door engages the bent over end of the flagmember and disengages it from the'detent 7. As a result, the flagmember, shown in solid lines in the bent over position, is caused by itsspring action to be extended into vertically erect position, as shown bythe broken lines. The flag member can then be seen from a house locatedat a substantial distance therefrom, particularly if the flag member iscoated with a fluorescent paint.

FIG. 7 illustrates the present flag member assembly mounted on the upperlip of an open newspaper box 12. For this purpose the assembly isarranged so that the flag member and hook are positioned as shown inFIG. 6. To place the assembly in operation, the flag member 4 is bentover with the upper portion of the member positioned over a substantialportion of the open end of the newspaper box, with the convex surface ofthe flag member engaging the point of the hook 6 at the detent 7. When anewspaper is placed into the box, it engages the downhanging end of thesupporting member and disengages it from the hook. This causes the flagmember, shown in its downwardly bent over position in solid lines, torise and assume a straight vertical position, as shown by the brokenlines, where the flag can easily be seen at a distance from a house.

The present signal flag assembly has a number of advantages ov'erdevices used for this purpose known in the prior art. First, it isextremely inexpensive and simple to manufature, and uses readilyavailable parts and materials. Second, it is versatile in that it can beused on both mail boxes and newspaper boxes. It is simple to mount and,when mounted, maintains itself securely fastened for long periods oftime. The flag is simple to place in operation and is virtuallyfoolproof in its operation.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exactdetails of constructions, operation, or materials or embodiments shownand described, as obvious modifications and equivalents will be apparentto one skilled in the art, and the invention is therefore to be limitedonly by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An integral signal flag assembly adapted to be clamped to a mail ornewspaper box, comprising a base having clamp means adapted to beaflixed to said mail or newspaper box, a spring-form signal flag member'adapted to be normally extended and self supporting in the verticalposition, a hook provided with a point at one end mounted on said base,and detent means provided on said signal flag member adapted to beengaged by the point of said hook when said signal flag member is inbent over position, the arrangement being such that when said assemblyis afiixed to a mail or newspaper box, said flag member may be bentdownward across the open end of said mail or newspaper box and caused toengage the point of said hook at said detent, thereby retaining saidsignal flag member in the engaged and downwardly bent position, andwhereby the insertion of an article into said box releases said signalflag from engagement with said hook and permits said signal flag memberto attain its erect position, thereby signaling the presence of saidarticle in said box.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein a supporting member formedof a resilient material is mounted on said base and having a screwextending through an aperture provided therein and being engaged inassociation with said base, said screw when tightened causing said hookand said supporting member to be affixed to said base in any selectedrotative position, said screw and said clamp additionally being arrangedwhen said screw is further turned into said base to cause the end ofsaid screw to clamp against the mail or newspaper box structurecontained between jaws of said clamp means and to cause said assembly tobecome securely afiixed to said mail or newspaper box, one end of saidflag member being afiixed to said supporting member.

3. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said flag member comprisesa segment of steel tape measure stock having an arcuate cross-section.

4. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said supporting member isformed of rubber.

5. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said flag member isprovided with a coat of fluorescent paint.

6. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said detent comprises ashort rod segment afiixed to said flag member.

7. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said detent membercomprises a depression or hole provided in said flag member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,428,423 10/ 1947 Hul'ban116-132 2,433,940 1/ 1948 Weaver 232-35 2,496,962 2/ 1950 Shaw 232-342,553,164 5/1951 Bishop 23234 3,386,649 6/ 1968 Joyce 23234 LOUIS J.CAPOZI, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 23234

